EXPLANATION TEXT

 Hi Assalamualaikum.

What is an explanation text? An explanation text tells your audience how something works or why something happens. Explanations detail and logically describe the stages in a process, such as the water cycle, or how a steam engine works. Other examples could be how a law is made, or why we blink when we sneeze.

Understanding Explanation Text

Explanation text is a type of text in English that describes a process. Talking about the process, this text is almost the same as procedure text . However, if the procedure text describes how to do something (process), this text describes how a process occurs. That way, we can know that the explanation text serves to provide information to readers about a process.

Explanation Text Characteristics

There are several characteristics of this text, namely:

• Using the Simple Present Tense

This text uses the Simple Present Tense because it describes facts.

• Using Action Verbs

Action Verbs are verbs used to describe an ongoing action. Examples are do, make, create, and so on.

• Using Passive Voices

The use of Passive Voices aims to emphasize the focus on the event that is taking place rather than the subject.

• Using Noun Phrases
• Using Technical Terms

These technical terms refer to technical terms related to the topics discussed in this text.

• Contains an explanation of the process

Generic Structure of Explanation Text

There are two parts to the Explanation Text, namely:

• General Statement

Contains general information on topics to be discussed in the text.

• Explanation

Contains a series of events (sequence of events) from a process which is the topic of the text. We can also explain by using the why and how questions, so that the explanation we convey is more comprehensive.

• Closing

The closing or closing part is optional or does not have to be in this text. This section may contain additional information or the author's opinion on the topics discussed.

Example of Explanation Text

Example Explanation Text 1 (about how it rains)

How rain is formed

Rain has both good and bad effect. Rain clears the air from pollution, it can also keep the plants green. However, too much rain can cause natural disaster such as floods and landslides.

Do you know how rain is formed?

There are many water source such as oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. When the sun shines, the hot temperature will make the water evaporate. This “vapor” then rises because the air (gas) flows from the high pressure to the low pressure places. When the vapor is in the sky, it cools and changes form as water. This condensed vapor will grow bigger into clouds. The clouds are carried by the air. When the clouds becomes too heavy, the gravity will pull it down slowly. The water drops fall down and it becomes rain.